Do you have children? Summer camps, activities, and vacations can absolutely destroy your budget if you’re not careful. Every parent wants their children to be happy and have fun, and sometimes it’s hard to say no to that $300 summer camp that all your daughter’s friends are attending. And when it seems like all your neighbors are gone every weekend on long camping trips or at amusement parks, you may wonder how to provide something similar for your children without breaking the bank. Fear not! Here are a few ideas below.

Go to library events. Public libraries often have children’s storytimes, even during the summer, creating a nice, free, indoor event to go to when it’s crazy hot outside. Many also offer all-ages movie nights, sometimes with free refreshments!

Go to public park events. See what your city’s parks have to offer! Our local park system periodically offers free events throughout the summer. Street performers, local musicians, food trucks, and bouncy houses show up in various public parks for a day of free or extremely cheap fun.

Pack your own lunches. Everyone knows that buying food inside an amazement park or other attraction can be incredibly spendy. Check beforehand if your destination allows “outside food and drink,” if it does, grab a backpack and fill it up with packed lunches! Even if you give in to buying one or two treats, such as popcorn or ice cream, for your kids, it will still be much cheaper than buying full lunches and snacks for the entire family.

Bug friends for free passes. Many memberships to zoos or museums give members a handful of free or half-off passes for guests to use. If you know someone with a membership to a place you’d like to go to, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have any guest passes you can use! Many people I know end up never using their guest passes, so you may luck out and score free admission for your family!